Apparatus for electrically treating the ear



(No Mod Ly W. A. PRICE.

APPARATUS FOR ELEOTRIGALLY TREATING THE BAR. No. 490,679. Patented Jan. 31, 18 93.

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ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM AMBROSE PRICE, OF IOWA FALLS, IOWA.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY TREATING THE EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,679, dated January 31, 1893.

Application filed September 29, 1892- Serial No. 447,266. (No model.)

State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Treating the Ear; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appe'rtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that particular class of electrical treating devices that are applied to the ear.

l-Ieretofore devices have been invented and placed upon the market in which a frame or shell is placed over the entire ear, thereby inclosing the same. The great disadvantage of these devices is that only the outer portion of the ear receives the electrical current, the drum of the ear being unaffected.

The object of my invention is to overcome this disadvantage and to produce a device that will treat the drum direct as well as the outer portion of the ear.

In the accompanying drawing: the figure represents a perspective view of my invention.

The reference letter a represents the frame of my ear treating instrument, having the general outline of an ear. The frame is preferably made of some insulated conductive material, and has upon its inner face, or the part that comes in contact with the ear, an uninsulated surface b. This surface I) is for the treatment of the outer portion of the ear, and is adapted to be electrically connected to either the negative or positive pole of any suitable battery, preferably a pocket or belt battery. Branching from the insulated frame is an outwardly extending arm or prong c situated directly between the sides of the frame, and having secured to its free end a sponge or other absorptive material d, which is so located that it will enter and rest upon the tympanum of the ear. By means of this prong, an electrical current is carried from the insulated frame directly to the drum of the car. This frame 0 can be connected to the opposite pole of a battery when it is desired to treat both the inner and the outer portions of the car at the same time; or if itis desired to treat only the inner ear, the positive or negative pole can be attached to some other portion of the body. The same will apply when it is desired to treat only the outer portion of the ear.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2-- 1. The herein described electrical treating device, consisting of a conductive skeleton frame for treating the outer portions and drum and tympanum of the ear, substantially as described.

2. The herein described electrical treating device, consisting of a conductive skeleton frame, a conductive surface or face on the inner side of said frame and insulated therefrom, an arm or prong extending through the 

